Vices and Virtues
by fairysdarkestnight
Summary: Series of oneshots of Jareth and Sarah based on Panic! At the Disco's album, Vices and Virtues. Ch 2: Let's Kill Tonght. On a seemingly normal, if horrible night at the club, Sarah meets the man she rejected all those years ago.
1. The Ballad of Mona Lisa

Disclaimer: I don't own _Labyrinth_ or Vices and Virtues, though I'm very clearly a fan of both. Jim Henson and Panic! At the Disco own them respectively.

And for those of you who were wondering, I edited this chapter so I could bring the rating down.

* * *

Sarah had her right hand propped up against her desk as she brushed the blood-red nail polish over her pinky. There was just something so...fascinating about the color. It reminded her of what she'd given up, and what she'd gained in the process. Money, fame, power. But it all paled in comparison. She shook her head. She'd made her choice, and there was no use thinking about it now.

She'd given up her dreams, but she had everything she could ever want. Except for _him_. He was the one thing she could never get her hands on. But she was happy. Or at least that's what she'd fooled herself into thinking. Sarah put down the painted brush and pours herself another glass of gin. Noticing the bottle was empty, she hurled it across the room. It hit the wall of her office and shattered.

Hoggle and Sir Didymus and Ludo had stopped calling on her through the mirror once she'd stopped needing them. They used to be her friends, but she had no use for such useless attachments now. A smirk crossed her face. He'd be proud of her, if he could see her now. She'd grown up to be just like him. Cruel, cold, and cunning. But most of all, she'd become heartless.

All because of him.

* * *

Jareth lounged on his throne with one leg thrown casually over its arm, a crystal in his hand. He sighed. When would that girl ever learn? It had been over ten years and the only that she had learned was how to mimic him. He felt oddly flattered, but couldn't the girl at least have a little imagination?

He smirked at the thought. That was what had gotten her trapped in his Labyrinth in the first place. Too much imagination and not enough good sense.

Conjuring up a glass of wine, Jareth gazed into the crystal once again only to see his Sarah, her nails freshly painted, surrounded by the shards of gin bottles with a mysterious smile upon her face. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out. Blasted crystal! Why didn't the damn thing come with volume?

The crystal shattered against the stone wall as Jareth growled in frustration. He knew she was calling to him, and yet could do nothing. Damn the Fey Court and its damned rules. Damn Sarah. Damn him too, for all he cared!

_You have no power over me._

He raked a hand through his wild blonde hair. Her words still haunted him, even after all this time. All the effort he put forth, and what did she do? She left him. Well, two could play at that game. No one messed with the Goblin King. No one.

* * *

Sarah woke as the sun streamed in through her blinds at work. Damn. She'd fallen asleep at her desk doing God knows what again. She shrugged and undid the top few buttons of her rumpled blouse. Might as well get something out of it. It's not like they all didn't think she'd slept her way to the top anyway. And who was she to deny the truth?

The first of her workers filed in and went straight to the small kitchen. The stench of coffee soon permeated the air. She shook her head in disgust, trying to rid herself of the bitterness.

"Good morning, Paul," her sultry voice called out, greeting her boss.

"Hey Sarah." He looked at the clothes she'd worn the day before. "Late night at the office?"

"You have no idea."

* * *

Jareth growled from his place around the corner. His Sarah was openly flirting with mere mortals. She deserved so much better. She deserved him, his kingdom. The Goblin King shook his head. He was there for his revenge, nothing more. Even if his body called out for her.

* * *

A little after noon Paul came into her office. "Sarah, we've got a...erm...rather special client."

Sarah knew that tone of voice, and relished at the challenge. They hadn't made her head of affairs for nothing. Paul used everything at his disposal, including her.

She reached into her bag and pulled out her compact and makeup bag. "Tell him I'll be with him in just a few minutes. A girl's got to look her best, after all." She left with a wink, her hips swaying provocatively.

With one last look in her compact, Sarah entered the hotel across from the company headquarters. It had a five-star restaurant where all the important meetings were held. And it was so convenient when Sarah had to further...persuade the clients.

She scanned the occupied tables and saw who she was looking for. He was in his early thirties, with short blonde hair and striking blue eyes. It was the first time she'd seen a man's eyes come so close to _his._ She shook herself mentally. It wasn't the time to be reminiscing.

The young man stood as he saw her approach. "You must be Ms. Williams. I was told I'd know who you were as soon as you walked in the door."

Sarah kept her smile in place. It wasn't the first time she'd been met with such insincere compliments. But she'd get him talking soon enough. "And you must be Mr. Jones, as you recognized me so quickly."

"Killian, please. We're no longer in that stifling building of yours. We can be more informal here."

Her smile grew. Less than two minutes and she was already close to getting her way. "Then by all means, Sarah is fine. I hear you have some concerns in signing with our company?"

Killian nodded. "I understand that it's in your best interests to convince me, but I'm not so sure that it's in my best interests to put my faith in your company."

This was always how it was. He was playing by the script that hundreds of others and played to. And here she'd thought she'd finally gotten a challenge. "Killian, I don't have any ties to my company, except as a way to earn my money." She leaned in close to his ear and placed her hand on his knee, drawing senseless patterns across his leg and up to his hips. "I do what I need to for my boss to keep me on. But who I do, on the other hand, is entirely up to me."

Killian exhaled slowly before picking her hand up and interlacing her fingers with his. "Then by all means, let us get out of here. It's much too public for what I want to do with you."

She smirked. So he'd skipped straight to the end scene. She could work with that. Her free hand crawled his way up his chest and into the pocket of his suit jacket. Bingo. Her fingers slipped the gold filigree pen out of its constraints and placed it in his hand. "As much as I would love to jump right in, we do have a bit of business to take of first. Just sign here."

The boy couldn't think through the lust filled haze that overwhelmed him. In just a few seconds Sarah had what she'd come for. Now it was time for some fun.

With a nod to the receptionist, Sarah led Killian up to the private suite the company kept for her and her conquests. She slid the room key through the scanner and his clothes were off before the door had fully shut.

Sarah stood on the balcony smoking a cigarette while Killian was passed out on the bed. It was pathetic, but she was used to it. She just kept her smile plastered on her face as she stamped out her cigarette and closed the balcony doors. Her discarded clothes remained where they were, as she chose instead to zip herself into one of the extra skirts she left in the drawers. With a sigh, she shut the door behind her and made her way back to work.

At least she had what she wanted.

Paul had been more than pleased, of course. She'd just won over another client. It was a win win. The company got another high-profile client and she got a bonus. But she still felt empty.

Not that she'd ever admit it. Even if she had the words.

A week went by and another offer came up, but this time Paul seemed reluctant to let her meet with the guy. "It's not that I think you couldn't do it. God no. It's just that...I don't want anything to happen to you. You're the best damn head of affairs that either my father or I ever had. And I don't want to risk you on this guy."

"How much is he worth?"

Paul hesitated before telling her the truth. "Three billion."

Sarah whistled appreciatively. "There's no way I'm letting you tell me no. This'll be one hell of a bonus."

Her boss sighed. "Somehow, I thought you'd see it that way. Well, there's no stopping you, I guess. But Sarah," she stopped and looked up at him, concern plainly shown in his eyes. "Be careful. Please."

She smirked. "I always am."

Sarah sauntered into the restaurant, feeling completely at ease in her surroundings. So what if Paul thought this client was dangerous? He didn't know that she'd been to hell and back for her baby brother. Nothing was dangerous compared to that.

She shook off her thoughts as she made sure her smile hadn't slipped while she'd been thinking of _him_. As she approached a passing waitress to ask if the client had arrived yet, the words she was about to speak died on her lips, for there in the corner was _him_.

"No. After all these years, why now?"

Sarah mentally shook herself. She wasn't there to see Jareth the Goblin King. No, she was there to meet with Jared King.

Damn.

Sarah finally put two and two together.

* * *

Jareth sat in the corner booth in the mortals' pathetic attempt at fine dining. A half empty wine glass sat at the edge of the white silk tablecloth, forgotten.

She had just walked in to the restaurant and had yet to see him. He had never seen any creature as ravishing as Sarah, and she acted as though she knew it. The only thing he knew was where he wanted their little lunch date to end.

He knew the exact moment she saw him, and a thrill ran down his spine. Her body stiffened and she waited before turning and heading towards his table. He was glad she had realized he was her next meeting - the Goblin Queen couldn't very well be an imbecile, now could she?

But he was getting ahead of himself.

"Sarah, what a coincidence it is, meeting you here. It's been far too long. Care to sit down and share a glass of wine with me?"

She simply kept the smile on her face. "No. I don't drink during work."

There was something wrong with that smile. It didn't belong to the Sarah he knew. But he couldn't identify what was different.

_Wait. That's the smile I have. The one I keep in place when among the court._

Jareth reached across the table and cupped her face, all thoughts of revenge gone. "Precious, what happened to you?"

The familiar spark jumped in her eyes as she flinched away from his touch, but that small, mysterious smile was still in place. "Goblin King, nothing happened. I just grew up." She sighed. "I came here to discuss business, and if you're only in the mood for games, I have work to do."

He reached to grab her hand as she left, but she was too fast for him. His fingers snatched only air.

Jareth sat upright on his throne for once as he listened to the complaints of his goblins, but his mind was elsewhere. A goblin came up to the unresponsive king and asked if he could hold a funeral for his pet chicken. He was evidently one of the more intelligent goblins, but Jareth just waved a hand and sent the goblin away. He didn't care about a stupid dead chicken. His Sarah had changed, and not for the better. Not in his opinion. Now she went around seducing men - who were certainly not him - for her job. It made him sick.

But worst of all was that smile. It showed him a side of Sarah he never wanted to see, one that was desperate and lonely. He would do anything to wipe it from her face.

He sighed as yet another goblin approached his throne. It was going to be an excruciatingly long afternoon. And since time worked differently in the Underground, he had several more hours in his kingdom before enough time had passed that he could go to where she was. But why did he suddenly care? Why the sudden change of heart? He'd planned on loving and leaving her, and never did he actually want to be involved with the little twit. Jareth sighed silently. He knew.

He'd fallen in love with her all over again.

* * *

Sarah called her boss from the hotel's restroom. "Paul, I'm taking the rest of the day off work."

"Are you alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

It touched her that Paul didn't immediately ask her if they had a new client. "No, he didn't." _Not this time, anyway. _"He's...an old acquaintance that I haven't seen since I was a teenager. I don't have very fond memories of him."

"Alright. Just be back tomorrow morning. We need you, Sarah."

She hung up the phone before allowing her smile to slip and letting the tears slide down her cheeks.

"Damn you, Jareth."

Sarah waited for a while to leave the stall. When she finally did, she pulled out her makeup bag and reapplied her foundation until her glassy eyes were the only remnants of her breakdown. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and walked out the door.

Right into a wall of flesh.

A pair of arms trapped her in the warmth of Jareth's chest. "Hey, Goblin King. Long time no see."

Jareth chuckled lightly, pushing them back into the restroom and locking the door behind them. "Why did you run out on our little...reunion?" he asked, letting his fingers trail up and down her arms. "It was quite rude of you, you know. I'd been looking forward to signing on with your company for quite a while. But I have a few questions that I would like you to answer."

He brought his lips to her neck and gently kissed her pulse point. His warm breath sent shivers down her spine as he continued to speak. "What would I get for signing the papers?"

Sarah struggled to list off the benefits he would get from the company in between pants as he continued to pepper kisses along her jaw and down her neck. She let her head fall back to give him better access.

"Not the - company - Precious," he whispered in between kisses. "Try again."

Sarah didn't reply immediately. Her eyes slid shut as his hand brushed against her collar bone and settled against her waist, the warmth of his hand seeping through the thin cloth. He lightly nipped her neck before letting his fingers trail to the hem of her skirt.

Jareth held himself back, his fingers not moving from the light grip they had. "I'm waiting."

She sighed in frustration. "You seem to already know how this works. You sign the papers, you get to sleep with me. It's a business deal, nothing more."

A growl forced its way through his chest and into his throat as he shoved her against the marble counter. The sharp pain in her back helped clear her lust-filled head more than anything else would have. "How. Dare. You. You're mine, Precious. You're to be my queen." Jareth yanked her head back by the roots of her hair, and she cried out in pain.

She forced her words through teeth gritted in pain. "Why do you care? You left me, all those years ago."

Jareth laughed, a short unamused bark. "_I_ left _you_? Need I remind you that you were the one who denied me when I offered you everything, little girl? I would have given you the world. I would have given you my _heart_. And you turned it all down for what? So you could throw my generosity in my face later?" Jareth shoved himself away from her before disappearing in a shower of glitter.

Sarah sank to the ground. Sure, she had money, wealth, power. But it was nothing.

Not when she'd given up everything else.

* * *

Jareth sank into his throne. He'd messed everything up. His jealousy had gotten the best of him. But why did she have to be so damn _cruel_ to him? He sighed. Their brief time in the restroom had left him aching to be near her, but he'd be damned if he went back to beg for her. No. If they were to continue what they were doing, she would have to beg for him.

He would wait for eternity if that was what it took.

* * *

_She paints her fingers with a close precision_  
_He starts to notice empty bottles of gin_  
_And takes a moment to assess the sin she's paid for_

_A lonely speaker in a conversation_  
_Her words are spinning through his ears again_  
_There's nothing wrong with just a taste of what you've paid for_

_Say what you mean, tell me I'm right_  
_And let the sun rain down on me_  
_Give me a sign, I want to believe_

_Whoa, Mona Lisa_  
_You're guaranteed to run this town_  
_Whoa, Mona Lisa_  
_I'd pay to see you frown_

_He senses something, call it desperation_  
_Another dollar, another day_  
_And if she had the proper words to say, she would tell him_  
_But she'd have nothing left to sell him_

_Say what you mean, tell me I'm right_  
_And let the sun rain down on me_  
_Give me a sign, I want to believe_  
_  
Whoa, Mona Lisa_  
_You're guaranteed to run this town_  
_Whoa, Mona Lisa_  
_I'd pay to see you frown_

_Mona Lisa, wear me out_  
_Pleased to please_  
_Mona Lisa, wear me out_

_Say what you mean, tell me I'm right_  
_And let the sun rain down on me_  
_Give me a sign, I want to believe_

_Whoa, Mona Lisa_  
_You're guaranteed to run this town_  
_Whoa, Mona Lisa_  
_I'd pay to see you frown_

_Say what you mean, tell me I'm right_  
_And let the sun rain down on me_  
_Give me a sign, I want to believe_  
_There's nothing wrong with just a taste of what you've paid for_

* * *

So that was the first chapter in my new Labyrinth fanfiction. Read and review, please! Also, I plan on doing oneshots for every song on _Vices and Virtues_. Unless otherwise stated, they don't connect with each other.

Anyways, let me know what you think!


	2. Let's Kill Tonight

**Disclaimer:** By definition, this means I totally don't own Labyrinth or Let's Kill Tonight.

* * *

Sarah sat hunched over the bar at some club her friends had dragged her to – _again _– and ordered another Scotch. It was stronger than her usual, but she needed it tonight. The club seemed to draw an unusual crowd, and she kept seeing long blonde hair and tight leather pants wherever she turned.

Stephanie and Tyler had taken her out for her birthday. And then ditched her at the door. Some friends.

But it wasn't that different from the norm. At least they'd bothered to make sure she was settled at the bar before they'd gone to dance this time. Sarah sighed and swirled the amber drink around, a sullen look on her face, before tipping it back and finishing it off. She'd regret it in the morning, but right now it was the only thing keeping her sane.

The alcohol scorched her throat as it went down, but she reveled in the feeling. She raised her hand to flag down the bartender, Drake that night, to order another, but a man beside her beat her to it. "Another one, for the beautiful lady over here."

It wasn't the first time it had happened, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

"Drake, is there something wrong with me?" Sarah was comfortable with all the bartenders – they came to The Underground enough – but she was actually friends with Drake. She spent more time with him than she did the two friends that she was actually there with.

"Look around, what do you see?"

Honestly, not a whole lot of anything. Nothing that impressed her anyway. The club was named the Underground for a reason, and the décor reflected the heart of the club. Dark gray stone was only illuminated by flickering candles along the wall, and the floor was as old as she was – possibly older – based on the old creaking oak wood that threatened to snap with just one wrong move.

The people there were odd as well, and she stuck out more than any of the women with purple Mohawks, tight leather corsets, and spiked jewelry. Her normal club attire was a simple black dress with a pair of four-inch stilettos. Nothing near as wild as anyone else, but that's what made her stand out. That and the air of mystery about the challenge she portrayed.

"I see a group of people that are far too alike dancing in a way that would make most people cringe."

Drake nodded as he cleaned a glass. "But what about you? Obviously you don't fit in, and you never dance with anyone. How do you see yourself?"

Sarah sighed, but didn't respond immediately. She never danced for the pure reason that none of the men who asked were ever interesting enough. Sure, they all looked like _him_, but there was always something just slightly off. Sometimes it would be the face, the eyes never quite right. Other times his hair just wouldn't fall just the right way, or his pants didn't fit him the right way. But no matter what it was, there was always something wrong.

And so she wouldn't dance, not when the only man she'd ever given her heart to would never show up again. And she couldn't blame him – she'd been cruel, cruel enough to shatter the man. But it was too late to change things, what's said is said.

She'd learned that lesson well.

It was then that she looked up, realizing that she'd never given Drake an answer. "I see a girl who gave up the best thing she'd ever had just because she'd thought it was a joke. And that same, boring girl who turns down every dance night after night because the guys just aren't perfect enough."

Drake nodded. "Would you take back what you did, if you could?"

The smile on her face was enough of an answer, the regret and guilt showing plainly. "What's said is said. Nothing I do can ever change what happened. So here I am, the trophy for a pathetic bet. The unattainable oddity, but so plain that the only thing that keeps them interested is that I never dance."

There was a scraping of a barstool being pulled back, but Sarah didn't even flinch. She was far too used to the sound to care anymore. "Don't you think you've had enough?"

His voice was familiar, and had it been any other night she would have sworn that it was _him_. But the half-empty glass reminded her how little her memory could be relied on at the moment. "No. Not tonight."

A soft chuckle came from her right, and the man placed a leather-clad hand over the top of her glass. I think you've had enough, Precious." He took it from her hand and tipped back the rest of her drink.

She finally turned to the man beside her, and decided that as far as drunken hallucinations went, he was nearly perfect. There was a slight blur around him, and his hair was a bit more tamed since she saw him in person, nearly ten years ago. She faced forward again, trying to make it clear that she didn't want him there. Even if he wasn't real.

The Goblin King sighed. "My dear, if you're going to be stubborn, I promise you won't like the consequences."

Rolling her eyes, Sarah shook her head. "Just go away, Goblin King. I don't want you here." Not tonight, of all nights.

"I suppose you want to be alone. You've changed." The slight tilt of her head urged him to go on. "You're ice-cold, and it suits you."

Sarah sighed. He was the reason she was the way she was, but it gave her no pleasure to hear his words of praise. She wouldn't let anyone near her – not when she still loved him.

Her breath caught in her throat as the words crossed her mind. Sure, he was the only one she had loved, she could admit that, but almost ten years had passed since she'd last seen him.

But not a day would pass that she wouldn't think of him.

And now she was talking to a figment of her drunken mind.

She groaned and leaned back, forgetting that there was nothing to keep her upright. In the moments fell, Sarah saw flickering candles and a shocked Goblin King, both who seemed off. Oh, right. She was upside down.

She felt a strong arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her aloft. "That was a very stupid for you to do, Sarah-mine."

She nodded, her head pounding from the effort. "I know. But you're surprisingly strong for a figment of my imagination."

The Goblin King turned to Drake, who had rushed over to make sure Sarah was alright. "How much has she had to drink?"

"Too much, Your Majesty."

He nodded his thanks and picked Sarah up, cradling her to his chest. "Precious," he whispered, "It's really me."

She didn't hear him, between the pounding of the base and her own semi-conscious state.

* * *

Jareth turned and used his back to open a door to the side alley. The cold wind revitalized the young woman in his arms, making her open her eyes to look at him. She reached her hand up and caressed his cheek. "You're really here," she whispered. "I'm not imagining you, am I?" He shook his head, blonde hair flying to the sides. "Why?"

"Do I need a reason?" She hesitated, then nodded her head. "I…watch over you when you come here. The veil between our worlds is thin here, and more than one of its regulars are subjects of mine. I don't want them to cause you any trouble."

Damn. He hadn't planned to say that much.

But it was true.

Sarah started to squirm in his arms, so he let her jump from his arms, albeit somewhat reluctantly. "Goblin King, why are you really here?"

He flinched. "You don't believe me?"

She shook her head. "I know who you are, Goblin King. And I don't want you here."

Her words stabbed him in his stone-cold heart that he'd sworn had stopped beating many years ago, but he covered up his pain with a smirk. "Hm. You think you know me so well, don't you? A tiny slip of a girl like you, understand me, the almighty Goblin King?" He laughed and pushed her away from him. "You do yourself an honor you don't deserve."

She hit the brick wall with a sickening thud, but part of Jareth didn't care in the least, and that was the part that was in control. The other part of him, the weak part, wanted to run over to her side and whisper words of apology.

"Goblin King, you have no power over me!"

It was a pathetic attempt at a show of power, really, and it only made him laugh even harder. "You're here on my terms now, Precious." He snarled the endearment. "Those words have no power over _me_. Not anymore."

* * *

Sarah struggled to rise, but her legs slipped from under her. What a fool she'd been, to fall in love with him all those years ago, and to fall even harder when she looked into his eyes after nearly ten years. And he'd just proven how cruel he really was. The many times she'd daydreamed and scribbled in her notebook had built a world in which he loved her back – something that was painfully untrue. He'd proved it when he lied to her about his reasons for being at the club that night.

"Then just leave, would you? It's obvious you got what you came here for. I'm at your mercy, Goblin King. You've proven that you cannot be beaten, that you'll always win. So take your pride and leave me alone."

He didn't say anything, and the silent minutes dragged on. Eventually he walked toward her and held out a hand. "I swear, I will leave you in peace. Just grant me one request."

It was dangerous to make deals with the Fey, and she knew that, but it didn't stop her from reaching out a hand to place in his. "What is it?"

"A dance, nothing more."

She nodded, and he pulled her to her feet. "Just one dance. And then you'll leave me alone?"

He nodded. "I swear. Besides," he smirked, "One dance is all I'll need." Sarah swallowed and let her fear of the goblin King show for the first time that night. "And call me Jareth. I do believe we have gone beyond such formalities now.

Using the hand he'd pulled her up with, Jareth dragged Sarah back into the club and onto the dance floor, but at the last moment, she pulled back. "I…can't."

He raised an eyebrow. "And why ever not? We had a deal, Sarah-mine."

Sarah hesitated. There were so many people, and most were already wondering who Jareth was, and how he'd gotten her to the floor. No one had done even that, and Sarah didn't want to voice her nerves. She hadn't danced since her run through his Labyrinth, and she wasn't sure how she felt about dancing with him now, in a room full of mortals and Fey.

She was saved the embarrassment of answering when Stephanie and Tyler ran up to her. The couple began to inspect Jareth. "Nice job Sarah. But whatever happened to the 'I only dance with one person' rejection line?"

Stephanie's words made Jareth smirk. "Oh yes, do tell."

She sighed. "He's an old…acquaintance. Besides, the only reason those men ever want me to dance with them is for the challenge. I'm too plain to actually warrant any real interest."

Jareth snatched her hand and dragged her to center of the dance floor, pushing his way through the mass of bodies, and then turned to face her. "Don't you dare call yourself plain!"

Shaking her head, Sarah smiled sadly and looked up at him. "Jareth, you just don't understand, do you? Even you're only here because you needed to overcome the person who beat you before. Everyone I know thinks the same of me, that I'm just the regular girl with nothing outstanding about her." She looked away and started to leave, but Jareth kept a tight hold on her wrist.

"Then let's prove everyone wrong."

* * *

Entwining their fingers, Jareth pulled her close and placed a hand on her waist. "_This_ is where you've always belonged, Precious. Right by my side."

She shook her head, but let him lead her in a slow waltz, completely at odds with the heavy metal music playing. "But what about – "

"The people?" he cut off. "They can go to hell, for all I care. You're the only one who matters." He released her waist and spun her around, pulling her into his chest at the last moment. The crowd had stopped dancing to watch the out of place couple, but he barely noticed. Sarah was the only one he saw.

The smile on her face was infectious, and soon Jareth was grinning like an idiot, something completely unbecoming of the great Goblin King.

But he couldn't find it in himself to care.

* * *

Their time together blurred together, until Sarah couldn't tell how much had passed. She had more than fulfilled her end of their deal, but she never wanted to stop. But her night was nearing its end, and they could both feel it. Her steps began to slow and falter until she stumbled and fell into his chest. "Sorry," she mumbled.

He chuckled softly and brought her back to her feet. "It's time, Precious."

She shook her head vigorously and gripped his hand firmly. "No! I'm fine. I can keep going." She met his eyes and could feel the tears roll down her face. "I won't let you leave!"

His smile was a sad, gentle one, but he pulled his hand from hers. "I'm sorry, Sarah. Truly I am." She stiffened at the use of her name, with no pet names or endearments tacked on. "But it's time to let go."

The last thing she saw was Jareth leaning down to kiss her.

Sarah woke up Sunday morning to birds chirping pleasantly outside, with the smell of bacon wafting up to meet her nose. So Stephanie and Tyler had stayed over again. It wasn't unusual, and she always got breakfast from it. But something felt off, like there was something she'd forgotten.

Pushing her blanket off of her, Sarah sat up and stretched, but flinched when her head began to pound. She'd had too much to drink at the club, and all that Scotch was coming back with a vengeance.

Wait.

She never drank Scotch.

What the hell happened last night?

She reached over to pull her curtains closed to block out the blinding sun, but stopped. Her window was open, and a branch on the oak outside was moving. But there wasn't any wind, and none of the leaves were moving either.

She shook her head to clear it, figuring she'd just forgotten to close the window before she'd left for the Underground with Tyler and Stephanie. No big deal.

But when she came back into her room after a quick shower and pain meds, she found a rolled up piece of parchment on her nightstand.

_Sarah-mine,_

_As promised, I will leave you to yourself from now on. I'm probably breaking the rules of our contract as it is, but I couldn't leave things as they were. _

_I love you, Sarah, and you're the only woman I have ever and will ever love. But only I am to blame for my current situation. What's said is said, and never have I hated those words so passionately. _

_It is, however, with this letter that I say my goodbyes._

_We can never be together, and I believe you know that as well, somewhere in your heart. Even without our words to bind us, our worlds are too different. I am a king, and while I know both the goblins and the few Fey I rule would love you, you have a life, a future in front of you in the mortal world._

_And I can't get in the way of that._

_The best thing for me to have done was to place the sleeping spell on you and leave you without any memories of last night, but alas, I am far too selfish for that. The words that led to our contract were false on, hopefully, both our sides. It hurt me to be so cruel, but I was honest in my reasons for being there last night. But I wanted you to remember that maybe, deep down, the Goblin King isn't as evil as you thought. I wanted to leave you with a piece of who I can really be._

_I love you, but what's said is said._

_Forever yours,_

_Jareth_

* * *

Tears streamed down Sarah's face as she read his letter. The white barn owl perched on the tree branch outside, watching her one last time. But he'd made an oath, and he was forced to stand by it. No matter how much it hurt them both.

If only she'd said the right words.

But instead it had killed them both.

_Goodbye, Sarah-mine_.

* * *

_If I retreat, words, wars and symphonies_

_Make room we're takin' over here_

_You're the galantine, cold and alone, it suits you well_

_Won't find me perching here again__  
_

_May your feet serve you well and the rest be sent to hell_

_Where they always have belonged, cold hearts brew colder songs_

_Fate will weigh us out with a song of pure romance_

_Stomp your feet and clap your hands__  
_

_Let's kill tonight, kill tonight_

_Show them all you're not the ordinary type_

_Let's kill tonight, kill tonight_

_Show them all you're not the ordinary type_

_Let's kill tonight__  
_

_May your feet serve you well and the rest be sent to hell_

_Where they always have belonged, cold hearts brew colder songs_

_Fate will weigh us out with a song of pure romance_

_So stomp your feet and clap your hands__  
_

_Let's kill tonight, kill tonight_

_Show them all you're not the ordinary type_

_Let's kill tonight, kill tonight_

_Show them all you're not the ordinary type__  
_

_Let's kill tonight, kill tonight_

_Show them all you're not the ordinary type_

_Let's kill tonight, kill tonight_

_Show them all you're not the ordinary type_

_Let's kill tonight_

* * *

So read and review, both of which are greatly appreciated. The rating of this story has gone down to make it available to a wider audience, after some editing of the first chapter. And please let me know what you think of the chapter.

Until next time!


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